September 28

Exodus xxxii. -- 15. And Moses turned, and went down from the mount; and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

16. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

19. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed hot; and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

25. Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

27. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.

28. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

30. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

31. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32. Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin; and, if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

33. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34. Therefore now go; lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee. Behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.

35. And the Lord plagued the people because they made the calf which Aaron made.

If ever anger was righteous, surely the anger of Moses was, at seeing the people, mixed and riotous, dancing around a golden calf as their god. They could not have fallen lower from the religion he had taught them: and, in thus degrading themselves, they degraded their religion also. His was no selfish anger; for he was ready at that moment to sacrifice himself for them: but his destruction of the tables of stone seems like an act of despair. How could a people capable of such grossness ever be lifted to the spiritual ideas of this law? But just this transformation has been the task of the Bible ever since it came into the world; and how wondrously

has it been accomplished! The case called for decided and extreme measures. The false object of worship was first degraded and destroyed, and then made to nauseate the worshippers. After this, the people were summoned to a courageous and decisive commitment of themselves to Jehovah. As he was the alone Ruler of the nation, this calf worship was not only idolatry, but to know; and, as such, it must be promptly and resolutely put down, and the order and discipline of national life maintained. But Moses, who could be thus stern for justice, was so full of pity for the souls of these transgressors, that he could even die to save them.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 54, 73, 82.

Search us, O God! and know our hearts; try us, and know our thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in us; and lead us in the way everlasting. Have mercy upon us, O Lord! according to thy loving-kindness; according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out our transgressions.

We thank thee that thou hast brought us in safety to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same by thy mighty power: and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings, being ordered by thy governance, may be righteous in thy sight.

Fit us day by day for the duties that lie before us. We would put ourselves and all that concerns us into thy hands, and ask thee to be our Guide and Counsellor. In all our ways we desire to acknowledge thee; and do thou direct our path. Keep us,

we beseech thee, from all evil, that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that thou wouldst have us to do.

Fit us, O Lord! for all the events of this short and uncertain life. If prosperity be our portion, keep us humble and watchful in the midst of it; or, if sorrows and trials come upon us, give us grace cheerfully to submit, saying, "Father, not my will, but thy will, be done."

[Give unto the children of this family grace to serve thee in the morning of life. Oh! keep them from temptation and evil, and from every false and hurtful way.] Be very gracious to our friends: grant to them health and prosperity in this life, and make them meet for the life everlasting. And, O Lord! bless and save the whole world.

We ask these blessings in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.